Eloise Horsfield
FASHION giant Zara has won a legal battle against a designer who claimed the Spanish shop had ripped off his shoes.
Christian Louboutin (right) sued the chain after claiming it had copied the red-sole design on his so-called ‘Yo Yo’ slingbacks.
But a French court has ruled that Zara’s cut-price version, costing €49, could not be confused with the French designer’s €490 shoes, even though both versions have a peep toe with a distinctive red sole.
Following Zara’s successful appeal, Louboutin must pay €2,500 in compensation.
It is not the first time the designer, whose shoes are often sported by Victoria Beckham (right), has been embroiled in a legal row over red-soled shoes.
He is currently fighting Yves Saint Laurent over a disputed trademark, and whether he should have the sole rights to sell them.
The lawsuit reads: “Mr Louboutin is the first designer to develop the idea of having red soles on women’s shoes.”
Can you tell the difference? These are Zara’s shoes (the red ones) next to Louboutin’s…
